Wednesday, July 4, 2007

I have already outlined how Joseph Henry Ludwig fought in the Revolutionary war. That's on my mother's side.

But there may be Revolutionary roots on my father's side as well.What We Know:I can firmly establish our line back to James McDermond (b 1818) of Chester County, PA. He first appears on the 1840 Census for West Vincent, Chester, Pennsylvania. I can follow him to the 1880 census, and show that Ulysses Simpson Grant McDermond is listed as his son in the 1870 and 1880 census. James was born in Pennsylvania to parents born in Pennsylvania. His wife was Hannah Thomas, of West Narntreal, Chester County, PA.

What I believe:The 1850 census ALSO shows another James McDermond living in Chester County. This older James was born in 1798 in Pennsylvania, to parents born in Pennsylvania. This James lived in West Narntreal; the same place the younger' James' wife is from.

To recap:

We have two James McDermonds living in Chester County.

We have an older James McDermond living in West Narntreal.

We have a younger James McDermond living in West Vincent.

James McDermond of West Vincent is married to a woman from West Narntreal.

While this isn't conclusive evidence, the circumstantial evidence is pretty convincing.

Pushing Back Further:In the 1800 census of Chester County, there were two McDermond households: only John McDermond had children; the other, Joel, may have been the eldest son (male was born between 1775 and 1785).

John McDermond was born sometime before 1756, his household had four boys born between 1790 and 1800, four boys born between 1785 and 1790, one male born between 1775 and 1785. There were two women born between 1775 and 1785, and another born between 1756 and 1774.

Probability:

John is the oldest male, his wife the oldest female.

The second oldest male is his son or SIL, one of the secondary women is his DIL and the other his daughter.

The youngest boys may be his grandsons, the slightly older boys may be a combination of grandson and sons.

Conclusion:

We have a McDermond household in Chester County, there is a boy in that household who was born in the right frame of time; there is a high probability that one of those four boys is the elder James.

We have a McDermond old enough to have fought in the Revolution; if John was born in 1756, he'd have been 20 years old when the Revolutionary War started.

That just leaves the question, "Was there a McDermond who fought in the Revolution?"

And the answer is "yes."

There is a pension for John McDermond of PA for fighting in the Revolution. His pension started 4 September 1791, per a law enacted 7 June, 1785. He died 25 April, 1809.

Not enough to file a DAR claim, but it leaves some solid avenues to explore.

About Me; C. L. Jahn

I've taken up the role of family genealogist from my Aunt, Dorothy Grant, nee Jahn, and the late Sheppard Joslin.
Most of my family research deals with Delaware Valley or New Jersey ancestors, except the Tibbitt line (Maryland) and the Ludwigs (Maine).

My Immigrants

Abraham Joslin came to the Plymouth Colony in 1636, following his parents and family, who came over on the INCREASE in 1635. (8 generations)
Joseph Henry Ludwig came over in 1753 to found Waldoboro, Maine. (6 generations)
Henry Felten came over in 1767 with his family to settle in Philadelphia. (6 generations)
Martin Rouse came over from Ireland around 1838 with his parents. He started as a cooper, and died a very wealthy businessman in Jersey City. (5 generations)
Frederick Jahn emigrated to Philadelphia in 1858 at age 17 to become a baker. (4 generations)

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